Treating of coal and manufacture of briquettes



, 1,481,627 C.H.$MWH

TREATING OF COAL AND MANUFACTURE OF BRIQUETTES File'd Aug. 9, 1920 INVEN TOR Patented Jan. 22, 1924.

UNITED STATES V 1,481,627 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HOWARD SMITH, OF SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INTEBNA- TIONAL COAL PRQDUCTS CORPOBATION, OF RICKMOND, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

TREATING OF COAL AND MANUFACTURE OF BRIQUETTIES.

Application filed August 9, 1920. Serial No. 402,153.

To all wlzzim it may concern.-

- 1 Be it known that I, CHAnnm HOWARD SMITH a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Short Hills, in the county of Essex and State of ltlew Jersey, have made certain new and useful Im rovements in the Treating of Coal and Ll anufacture of Briquettes, of which the following is a specification. f T

The invention relates to the manufacture of briquettes made from coal by a process which involves two distillations.

A two-stage distillation to which the present invention is particularly applicable may be in short described as follows :-The coal is partially carbonized in a retort at a maximum temperature, for example approximately 950 degrees F. and in a manner to;

produce a relatively uniform residue. This partially carbonized residue is crushed, a hydrocarbon bindingmaterial as coal tar pitch is added, and the mixture is fluxed and formed into briquettes, referred to as raw briquettes. The raw briquettes thus produced are carbonized at a higher temperature, for example approximately 1850 degrees F. Pitch is added to'provide a binding material and to bring the hydrocarbon volatile matter in the briquette to the desired amount, for example eleven per cent (11%) to seventeen per cent (17 7( ),whereby when the raw briquette is properly carbonized the resulting .briquette is a firm coherent structure. 'Such a process as that 'ust referred to is described and protected by U. S. Patent No, 1,276,429 dated August According to the present invention a certain quantity of raw coal dust'is obtained from the coal tobe or in process of being repared for conversion into briquettes and 1s added to the partially carbonized residue of the coal prior to a termination of the fluxing operation. This .raw coal dust can be relied upon to provide some of the hydrocarbon volatile matter of the rawbriquette. It also provides material of a character which adapts itself to or is adaptable for use with the crushed partially carbonized residue so that a briquette of fine grain and excellent quality is realized.

The invention also involves-the obtaining of the raw coal dust for use in the briquetting operation.

. According to the preferred manner of realizing the invention this raw coal dust is produced and obtained from the mass of'raw coal which is thereafter carbonized to produce the uniform partially carbonized residue-prior to the introduction of the coal relatively freed from dust into the retort where it carbonized.

The invention is concerned with the process and apparatus whereby the features above referred to as well as others hereinafter clearly described are enabled to be realized. i

As illustrating a specific apparatus or plant in which the invention may be embodied and performed reference is made'to the sole figure of the drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein an apparatus or plant is diagrammatically indicated. In this figure certain parts entering into the apparatus as a whole are shown in section.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, 1 designates a furnace-retort. frequently referred to as the primary as in the'retort of this furnace-retort an initial or preliminary partial carbonization takes place. The retort proper is\designated as 2 and the combustion chamber of the furnace surretort 2 by any suitable feeding means, as 8.

The manner in which the dry crushed coal is obtained will presently be described in detail. The coal which enters the retort 2 at one end, to wit, the charging end thereof, by the feeding means 8 is delivered from the other end of the retort through discharge passageway 9 to and by suitable conveying means was a crusher, as 11. Within the retort thetoal is subjected to a relatively low maximum temperature, to wit, an average maximum temperature of 950 F. and is constantly mixed or agitated while within the retort whereby the residue delivered from the retort through the passagewa 9 is a relatively uniform partlally disti ed coal. The moisture, vapor and gases evolved ,the gasistobe dgthe artial distillation in the retort 2 p thererom, as through pipe or conduit 112, to any suitable gas cleaning and collecting apparatus or to any other place where ut e-ui Reference has heretotore beenmade to the fact that dry crushed coal is fed to the interior of the retort bythe feeding means 8. This dried crushed coal is obtained by passing coal through suitable crushing and conveying means, as throu h crusher 13-which may be refer to as t e raw coal crusherby means of which the coal is crushed to the desired fineness and with the formation of dust which results from the crushing operation. "lhe'crushed coal with the dust therein primes, as by means of chute it, to

the interior of a suitably constructed dr or 15. This dryer comprises a rotatable tu ular shell 16 which is in efiect a cylindrical shell that has tlrs, as 17, mounted upon editable anti-friction rollers as'18. Suitable means, as 19, are provided tor revolving the shell. The shell also carries longitudinally.

extending lifters, as 20. The axis about which the shell rotatm has a slight. slope with respect to the horizontal and because ot'this and of the lifters contained therein the material is constantly agitated or turned over within the shell as it rotates and the mapasses along and through the shell. he dryer has suitable heads as 21 and 22, which are shown as fixed heads, and the chute it feeds the coal through the fixed head 21 to the interior upper end portion of the shell 16. Suitable sealing means as 23 and 2d are rovided between the heads 21 and 22 on t e one hand lid pass throuh the tular shell or the dryer, gut tghg'oug the he- 21 to a pipe or conuit lt will readily be appreciated that the coal which enters the dryer at the uppermost end thereof directly cent with or-is directly cont the hot gases flowing through the interior of the tubular SlBBllWltll the res t that poions of the coal withinthe shell relative dry and this dry raw soul the and 22 through a conduit or chute d? to ho per 28 of the feeding as A suitable an, as 29, which from. some mn toot view operates as an exhausts!" and n other points operatcs as a pump,

serves asa means to draw the hot products fore, performs two functions; that of delivei'ing relativel clean coal freed from dust to the interior 0 the retort and the collecting of'a substantial quantity of raw coal dust in a relatively dry condition. From the fan 29 the products of combustion laden with dust are passed by means of conduit orpipe 30 to the interior of a suitable dust separating means, as 31, which is s ecifically a cyclone separator that is relic upon to separate the dry coal dust from. the products of combustion and to collect the coal dust. The products of combustion freed from dust leaves the separating means 31, as through a %ipe or opening 32 provided therefor. v

eference has heretofore been made to a crusher 11; said crusher may be considered as the crusher for the partially carbonized coal and it functions to render the partially carbonized coal in a relatively fine condition suitabl e' for briquetting. From the crusher the partially carbonized coal or coal residue is conveyed, as by chute 33 and e'levator 34:, to a hopper or storage bin 35 provided for that purpose. A small hopper or storage bin, as 36, is provided to receive the raw coal dust delivered to it from the cyclone separator as by means of a pipe or conduit 37. A fluxer 38 is provided to receive a pro?- portion'ed amount of crushed partially caronized residue and of the raw coal dust delivered to it by conveying means 39.

It will be appreciated that the crushed partially carbonized coal andthe coal dust are fed to this conveying means from the hop ers 35 and 36 and in some constructions of t is conveying means there ma be more orlem of an intimate mixing of t e crusher coal and the raw coal dust. Pitch to serve as a binding material may be added to the mixture from any suitable source of supply,

indicated as b3 40. The, donor 38 is pro:

vided with the necessary attachments as,

for example, steam supply pipes and the like, whereby the fluxer can function to render the material being tted in a condition suitable for briquetting. From the tluxer the material ing means d as 41 to a briquetting press, as 42. u the briquetting pr the briqllgoer to and conveyor 43 where the briquettes have time to cool and set prior to their introduction into the furnace-rt 4:4 in the retort of which the briquettes are carwnized at a rel by any suitable conveyupon a cooli atively high temperature, for example 1850 degrees F. The briquettes remain in the retort of this furnace until a firm coherent structure has been developed as a result of the heating mace therem. This furnace-retort 44 may referred to as the secondary orbriquette carboniz ing furnace.

From what has preceded, it will be manifest (a) that the raw coal is crushed and dried in a manner to deliver at one relatively clean small pieces of coal (1 from dust and to collect at another place a,

substantial quantity of relatively fine dry coal dust; '(b) that pieces of coal freed from dust, so to speak, are introduced into a retort where the same is partially carbonized; (c) that hot products of combustion from the furnace of a furnace-retort wherein the coal is partially carbonized pas into and 7 through the dryer and is emplo ed to sweep the coaldust from the pieces of coal during the drying operation .(d) that coal dust' remains entrained-in the hot prodnets of combustion until a separation is subsequently effected by the dust separating means. It will here be remarked that because of the utilization of the hot products of combustion for this pur- I no explosion will take place 'no' matter what proportion of dust maybe in the,

p and conveying gaseous medium; this because the hot products of combustion constitute'inefiect an inert gas. That coal when (partially carbonized is subsequently ecrushe and that this crushed partially carbonized coal and the raw coal dust are brought together and mixed prior to the termination of the fluxing operation and preparatory to the. forming of brique It. will here be noted that the bringing together of the crushed partially carbonized coal and coal dust is preferably efiected prior to their introduction into the fluxer as herein outlined and that the desired amount of .pitch is referably added to the mixture. (f) at the briquettes including the raw coaldust are subsequently cooled and thereafter carbonized m a manner to produce-carbonized briquettes. of firm coherent structure. In the manufacture of briquettes by a two-stage distillation process, such as herein outlined, Ihave found it advisable inmany respects to employ a certain quantity of coal dust in conjunction with partially carbonized coal and a method and aparatus are outlined herein whereby coal dust; in suntial uantities can be duced and coil or use at the lace desired-The use of coal dust att e place indicated also facilitates the manufacture of briquettes that are easily carbonized and offinequality. v

The improvements herein set forth are not and carbonizing which takes the method involving passi lace pro:

rangement shown and described for they may be embodied in various forms and modrfications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Y I claim as my invention:

' 1. In the handling and treatin .of coal coa through apparatus comprising a crus er and dryer, passing a stream of'hot products of combustion through the dryer in direct contactvwith the coal therein-and employing said stream of hot products of combustion to entrain particles of dust within the coal and produced by the crusher and conveying the raw coal dust entrained to a dust separati ,means where the raw coal dust is collecte passing the dry coal from the drier to the interior of a retort and herein partially carbonizing the coal, crushing the partially carbonized coal, fluxing the same, adding raw coal dust obtained in the manner outlined prior to the termination of the fluxing operation, andv forming briquettes from the fluxed material.

2.-In the manufacture of briquettes the method which. comprises passing coal through a crusher and a dryer, While the coal is passing through the drier also passmg a stream of hot products of combustion throu h the dryer in direct contact. with the coal t erein and employing said stream of hot products of combustion to entrain particles of dust that are within the coal, conveging the raw coal dust thus entrained to a ust separating means where the raw coal dust is collected, passing the dry coal from which the raw coal dust has been taken the interior of a retdrt, partially carboniz in the coal in the retort crushing the part'iiily carbonized coal delivered from the retort, fluxing the same, adding some of the coal dustthus collectedto the crushed partially carbonized coal prior to the termination of thefluxing operation, and forming briquettes from the fluxed material.

3. In the manufacture of briquettes, the method which comprises crushing raw coal and thereafter sub'ecting it to the action of a'dryer, passing. ot products of combustion from the furnace, of a furnace-retort, I

wherein coal is being partially carbonized,

to and through the dryer to dry the raw coal and to sweep, fr m the raw coal, dust therein, separating the raw coal dust from the hot gases and connecting the raw coal dust passing the pieces of dry raw crushed coal from which dust has been thus removed to the retort of a furnace-retort and partially carbonizing, crushing the partially carbonized residue, mixmg this crushed partially carbonized residue and some of the separated raw coal dust, fluxmgeeizie mixture,

forming bri uettes, and

uently carbonizingthe riquettes.

4. The manufacture of briquettes by the method which comprises partially carbonizizer by subjecting raw coal to be bid-- quetted to a preliminary crushing and drying operation, delivering coal from the preliminary crushing and drying operation to the retort of the furnace-retort and therein I gfirtially cerbonizing such coal, saiddrying ing efiected by hot gases from the furnace of the furnace-retort and which hot gases pass in directcontact with the cool being dried, cohecting by means of snid hot gases rew coal dust within the cool end becomes e port of the briquettes which ere produced from the cost by the crush cg eretion, and adding row coal dust thus o tuined to the purtiully curbed residue I prior to the termination of the during operution whereby the added row cool dust subsequently cerbonized.

"5., 'lfhe manufacture of briquettes by e method which involves the partiel cenirzing ofcoel in e retort or s turneceretort,-

'subseqent' carboniz'ing 01 the; briquettes thus the crushing of the partially carbonized idue, the during of the residue end the mu 1, .of briquettes therefrom, and the rodu; the method bein cherscten ieed y the initially subjecto the coal to crushing and drying in e meer whereby cool is delivered to the retort in u drycondition end in small pieces, end whereb row cool dust within the cool end produce as e result of the crushin o retion is collected in n dry condition,wic d g of the cool end the collecting of the dry new cool dust ere dependent upon the employ or the hot products of combustion from the furniece of the iurnece-retort; end else being churecterized by the eddi'ng of the rew cool dust thus obtained to the crushed pertielly V csrbonized residue prior to the teinetion J 'i l t P mildllilbfl end'in sum-t of the during operation. whereby the row cool dust becoes u. ert' of the briquet which are w y curbed.

6. The manufacture ct briquettes by e ethod which involves thepnitinl enrnizint coal in u retort ct e Eu-rt, the

crushing of the pertielly t: ed residue the during of the residue, the if; ct briquettes of the finned materiel end the bsequent cerbonizing of the briquettes u'ced; end cherncte by the bjectiu of cool too ing end o tion in 721' or whereh voted. to the it in o hot en ll ieces, d where by el dufst within the endproduced es s rest of the initiel crushing opeion is wel uh, ill; flog ot" the rneneer the class described comprisin" in cobinetion with a furnaceretort hayinv n retort wherein cool is partiolly carbod and e furnace that provides of the row cool dust thus obtained a combustion chamber onthe exterior of the retort for heeting the letter, of en associated crusher d dryer arranged to crushcoal end to dry the cool preparatory to the introduction oi the cool into the retort, means between the elssociuted crusher. and dryer wherebyhdry crushed cool is fed to the interior of the retort, n dust collector, means extending from the combustion chember of the retort to the dryer and from the drier o the dust collector whereby hot products of combustion from the combustion chamber cun be pessed into the dryer end in direct contact with the coel whereby dust particles 7 I that are within the cool or that are produced as e result ot the crushing operetion can be reoired from the coal being dried, can be conveyed from the coel end can be sep- Tarntely collected in the dust collector, a second crusher, at dinner, menus for conveying pertially cnrbonized residue from the interior of the retort into the second crusher, means for conveying the crushed partially carbonized residue to the flutter, means for introducing the row coul dust from the dust collector to e position where the coal dust is mixed with the crushed pnrtiully carbon ized cool prior to the time that the coal pusses from the liuxer, e briquetting press, end menus for conveying the fluxed material from the fiuxer to the briuuetting press.

8. In combinotionin u plant for the menutocture of briquettes, n furnace retort having hosting the letter, associated crusher and dryer. urged to crush coal and to dry the coel prepuretory to theintroduction of the coel into the retort, meens between the associuted crusher "end dryer whereby dry crushed cool is fedto the interior "of the retort, men extendi from the combustion "cum-.- of the retort to the dryer whereby hot pucts of combustion from the combust on chber cen be pessed into therdryer d in direct contect with the cool and wrebydust particles that are within the cool or thet thee 1, theco Mung 1 from as dust coll means 18% ere puced as n result of I i operation mu be removed from and conveyed therethe associated dryer and crusher to the dust collector whereby the dust-laden products of combustion are passed to the latter where dust is separated from the hot products of combustion, a second crusher, a fluxer, means for conveying partially carbonized residue from the interior of the retort into the second crusher, means for conveying the crushed partially carbonized residue to the fluxer, means for introducing the raw coal dust from the dust separator to the crushed partially carbonized coal, a briquetting press, means for conveying the fluxed material from the fluxer to the briquettin press,. a second furnace-retort, and means or conveying the briquettes .to a position-where they can be charged: into the retorts of the second furnace-retort. v

9. An apparatus for the manufacture of briquettes comprising in combination a primary retort wherein coal is partially carbonized, a crusher into which the partially carbonized residue from the retort is delivered, a fluxing appamtus for receiving the crushed partially carbonized residue, a briquettin press for receiving'the material from the uxer, a secondary furnace where- 1 in briquettes are carbonized, and a cooling with the rest of'the apparatus so that hot products of combustionfrom the combus tion chamber, which is on the exteriordfifl the primary retort, are by suitable means conveyed to the 0 her and dryer whereby they are employ to the coal preparatory to the crushed coa entering the rimary retort and also to remove raw coal ust i i from the dlfy crushed coal and'sothat the products 0 mbustion laden with raw coal dust are by suitable means conveyedto the dust. collector or dust separating means T where theraw coal dust is collected, thev apparatus also having means whereby the raw coal dust thus collected is introduced into or mixed with the crushed partially carbonized residue.

-This -specification Aug. A. 1920.

CHARLES HOWARD smut signed this 3 d day of belt for receiving the briquettes delivered- 

